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Family Practice Advance Access published online on April 11, 2005
Family Practice, doi:10.1093/fampra/cmh725
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© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Received July 3, 2004
Accepted September 27, 2004

Article

How to avoid long-term sickness absence: the advice from women with personal experience

M. Ockander 1, T. Timpka 1*, and J. M. Nyce 2

1 Department of Social Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden
2 School of Library and Information Management, Emporia, State, Emporia, KS 66801 USA; Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
T. Timpka, E-mail: tti{at}ida.liu.se


  Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study was to describe women's perceptions of what can be done to avoid extended sickness absence with following suffering and passivity.

Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 82 women who had been on sickness absence (60 days or more) or were receiving disability pensions. The data were analysed using phenomenological methods.

Results. To be able to get back to work was found to be equivalent to breaking away from the prospect of isolation and loneliness. To support this, four parties were identified along with suggestions for their actions: the healthcare professionals, the woman who is on sick leave herself, the employer, and the social insurance official. Most interestingly, the family and close relatives were almost not mentioned at all. The results are connected to a theoretical model of distress in terms of enduring and suffering.

Conclusions. It is necessary to look more carefully at how women on sickness absence use the resources in the world (like their families) to get well. More generally, the task is to understand why society deals insufficiently with women who need time off and cannot keep up with their duties because of illness.

Keywords: Prevention; qualitative method; rehabilitation; sickness absence; women's health.
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